Scratch repairing processing method and scanning probe microscope (SPM) used therefor

Abstract

A sample to be processed is disposed within a processing cell which contains a liquid. Scratch processing using a scanning probe microscope is performed within the liquid so that chips or shavings removed from the sample scatter within the liquid rather than collecting on the surface of the sample. The processing cell has a supply port and a discharge port so that new liquid can be supplied within the cell through the supply port after the termination of the scratch processing to clean the cell. In this manner, chips or shavings generated by scratch processing a defect portion of the sample can be removed completely without being collected at the surface of a sample despite the surface tension of adsorbed water existing on the sample surface and / or electrostatic charges caused by friction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a technique of removing shavings which are generated at the time of a so-called scratch processing for removing unnecessary portions of a sample by scraping the sample using a probe of a scanning probe microscope, and more particularly relates to a remaining shavings removing technique which is effective in the black defect repair, etc. of a photo mask.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]As the defects of a photo mask used for fabricating semiconductor devices, there are a defect (a so-called black defect) which distorts a translucent pattern due to an excessive attachment, a defect which forms an excessive phase shifter pattern during the fabrication of a phase shifter pattern, and a defect (a so-called white defect) which distorts a translucent pattern due to a defect in a light shielding film pattern. These defects are generally named as the mask defects. The photo mask is carefu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a technique for removing chips generated by a defect portion scraping processing using a scanning probe microscope without collecting them on the surface of a sample, despite the surface tension of adsorbed water and electrostatic charges caused by friction. The technique involves scratch processing the sample within a cell containing liquid, so that the chips or shavings generated during processing are prevented from scattering and collecting on the surface of the sample. The processed surface is clean and can be further enhanced through the supply and discharge ports of the cell for new liquid. This technique provides an efficient and effective way to remove defects from samples without leaving any residue.

Problems solved by technology

As the defects of a photo mask used for fabricating semiconductor devices, there are a defect (a so-called black defect) which distorts a translucent pattern due to an excessive attachment, a defect which forms an excessive phase shifter pattern during the fabrication of a phase shifter pattern, and a defect (a so-called white defect) which distorts a translucent pattern due to a defect in a light shielding film pattern.

This is because, since many semiconductor devices are fabricated based on the mask, the defects of the photo mask itself are reflected on all the semiconductor devices to be fabricated.

This method causes a problem that, as a result of the heat of the laser irradiation, distortion appears at the processed edge portion of the mask and so the configuration of the mask after the processing is not so good.

Further, there arises such a problem that since the narrowing of the laser beam is limited, the micro-fabrication of 500 nm or less is difficult.

Thus, the mask itself is damaged due to the repairing process.

These matters increasingly have become large problems in accordance with the recent tendency of the micro-fabrication of the semiconductor pattern.

However, in such an on-machine remaining shavings removing processing using the air gun, there arises a case that particles of nano-order sizes are scattered within the apparatus to pollute the mask as shown in FIG. 5.

In particular, the residual shavings collect at the surface of the mask, due to the surface tension of adsorbed water existing on the mask surface and / or electrostatic charges caused by friction, can not be removed easily.

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